The Home Machinist!

This question has probably been asked before, but I haven't been successful of finding an answer ...
I have an older Logan model 200 lathe and on the top of the tailstock there is a small solid "ball" about 5/16" diameter. It is a factory item original to the lathe and has a slightly snug fit in the tailstock and can easily be pulled out. It looks sort of like the ball end of a ball-and-socket connector. Anyone know the intended function of this ball??

It probably is a dauber for a high pressure lubricant that used to reside in the well and was used to lubricate the dead center. If the lathe is old enough the lubricant was most likely white lead. I'll bet if you dug around in the well you'd find some dried 'stuff'.
--earlgo

Following pics may help with identification:

That's a dauber. Fill the hole with white lead and use the dauber to put a daub of it in the center hole when using a dead center. You're lucky to have a tailstock that still has a dauber. Usually they vanish for obvious reasons.

Actually, Neversieze works at least as well as white lead.

now all you need is a can of white lead.....

I use a product called CenterSaver-works way better than anything else i've ever found and doesn't have the lead in it.

Never seen a real one; I made mine out of brass.

Conrad_R_Hoffman wrote: ↑Fri Dec 21, 2018 3:50 pm Never seen a real one; I made mine out of brass.

Same here. Then I lost it. I could buy a new one from Logan, though. Only $32.25.

I'll make you one for $29.95....

Ahh... Very interesting. My LeBlond has the socket and I've wondered what it was for. I thought maybe it was for holding a light fixture or something.

Here are some links to tubalcain's videos on making a tailstock dauber for a Southbend and Logan, if you are inclined to make one for yourself.

https://youtu.be/08tc_fRY5ps

https://youtu.be/XR49xRCi59k

https://youtu.be/1JrJaOLONHI

I just made some tooling for my Logan 10" lathe, cut a few videos on it at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI22t7 ... subscriber

please like, comment and susbscibe to my channel, thanks. Fonzy